Anna Katharina Emmerick was born on September 8, 1774 in the farming community
of Flamsche near Coesfeld. She grew up amidst a host of nine brothers and
sisters. She had to help out in the house and with the farm work at an early
age. Her school attendance was brief, which made it all the more remarkable that
she was well instructed in religious matters. Her parents and all those who knew
Anna Katherina noticed early on that she felt drawn to prayer and to the
religious life in a special way.

Anna Katharina labored for three years on a large farm in the vicinity. Then she
learned to sew and stayed in Coesfeld for her further training. She loved to
visit the old churches in Coesfeld and to join in the celebration of Mass. She
often walked the path of Coesfeld's long Way of the Cross alone, praying the
stations by herself.

Anna Katharina wanted to enter the convent, but since her wish could not be
fulfilled at that time, she returned to her parental home. She worked as a
seamstress and, while doing so, visited many homes.

Anna Katherina asked for admission to different convents, but she was rejected
because she could not bring a significant dowry with her. The Poor Clares in
Münster finally agreed to accept her if she would learn to play the organ. She
received her parents' permission to be trained in Coesfeld by the organist
Söntgen. But she never got around to learning how to play the organ. The misery
and poverty in the Söntgen household prompted her to work in the house and help
out in the family. She even sacrificed her small savings for their sake.

Together with her friend Klara Söntgen Anna Katharina was finally able to enter
the convent Agnetenberg in Dülmen in 1802. The following year she took her
religious vows. She participated enthusiastically in the life of the convent.
She was always willing to take on hard work and loathsome tasks. Because of her
impoverished background she was at first given little respect in the convent.
Some of the sisters took offence at her strict observance of the order's rule
and considered her a hypocrite. Anna Katharina bore this pain in silence and
quiet submission.

From 1802 to 1811 Anna Katharina was ill quite often and had to endure great
pain.

As a result of secularization the convent of Agnetenberg was suppressed in 1811,
and Anna Katharina had to leave the convent along with the others. She was taken
in as a housekeeper at the home of Abbé Lambert, a priest who had fled France
and lived in Dülmen. But she soon became ill. She was unable to leave the house
and was confined to bed. In agreement with Curate Lambert she had her younger
sister Gertrud come to take over the housekeeping under her direction.

During this period Anna Katharina received the stigmata. She had already endured
the pain of the stigmata for a long time. The fact that she bore the wounds of
Christ could not remain hidden. Dr. Franz Wesener, a young doctor, went to see
her, and he was so impressed by her that he became a faithful, selfless and
helping friend during the following eleven years. He kept a diary about his
contacts with Anna Katharina Emmerick in which he recorded a wealth of details.

A striking characteristic of the life of Anna Katharina was her love for people.
Wherever she saw need she tried to help. Even in her sickbed she sewed clothes
for poor children and was pleased when she could help them in this way. Although
she could have found her many visitors annoying, she received all of them
kindly. She embraced their concerns in her prayers and gave them encouragement
and words of comfort.

Many prominent people who were important in the renewal movement of the church
at the beginning of the 19th century sought an opportunity to meet Anna
Katharina, among them Clemens August Droste zu Vischering, Bernhard Overberg,
Friedrich Leopold von Stolberg, Johann Michael Sailer, Christian and Clemens
Brentano, Luise Hensel, Melchior and Apollonia Diepenbrock.

The encounter with Clemens Brentano was particularly significant. His first
visit led him to stay in Dülmen for five years. He visited Anna Katharina daily
to record her visions which he later published.

Anna Katharina grew ever weaker during the summer of 1823. As always she joined
her suffering to the suffering of Jesus and offered it up for the salvation of
all. She died on February 9, 1824.

Anna Katharina Emmerick was buried in the cemetery in Dülmen. A large number of
people attended the funeral. Because of a rumor that her corpse had been stolen
the grave was reopened twice in the weeks following the burial. The coffin and
the corpse were found to be intact.

Clemens Brentano wrote the following about Anna Katharina Emmerick: “She stands
like a cross by the wayside”. Anna Katharina Emmerick shows us the center of our
Christian faith, the mystery of the cross.

The life of Anna Katharina Emmerick is marked by her profound closeness to
Christ. She loved to pray before the famous Coesfeld Cross, and she walked the
path of the long Way of the Cross frequently. So great was her personal
participation in the sufferings of our Lord that it is not an exaggeration to
say that she lived, suffered and died with Christ. An external sign of this,
which is at the same time, however, more than just a sign, are the wounds of
Christ which she bore.

Anna Katharina Emmerick was a great admirer of Mary. The feast of the Nativity
of Mary was also Anna Katharina's birthday. A verse from a prayer to Mary
highlights a further aspect of Anna Katharina's life for us. The prayer states,
“O God, let us serve the work of salvation following the example of the faith
and the love of Mary”. To serve the work of salvation - that is what Anna
Katharina wanted to do.

In Colossians the apostle Paul speaks of two ways to serve the gospel, to serve
salvation. One consists in the active proclamation in word and deed. But what if
that is no longer possible? Paul, who obviously finds himself in such a
situation, writes: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my
flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his
body, that is, the church” (Col 1:24).

Anna Katharina Emmerick served salvation in both ways. Her words, which have
reached innumerable people in many languages from her modest room in Dülmen
through the writings of Clemens Brentano, are an outstanding proclamation of the
gospel in service to salvation right up to the present day. At the same time,
however, Anna Katharina Emmerick understood her suffering as a service to
salvation. Dr. Wesener, her doctor, recounts her petition in his diary: “I have
always requested for myself as a special gift from God that I suffer for those
who are on the wrong path due to error or weakness, and that, if possible, I
make reparation for them.” It has been reported that Anna Katharina Emmerick
gave many of her visitors religious assistance and consolation. Her words had
this power because she brought her life and suffering into the service of
salvation.

In serving the work of salvation through faith and love, Anna Katharina Emmerick
can be a model for us.

Dr. Wesener passed on this remark of Anna Katharina Emmerick: “I have always
considered service to my neighbor to be the greatest virtue. In my earliest
childhood I already requested of God that he give me the strength to serve my
fellow human beings and to be useful. And now I know that he has granted my
request.” How could she who was confined to her sickroom and her bed for years
serve her neighbor?

In a letter to Count Stolberg, Clemens August Droste zu Vischering, the
vicar‑general at that time, called Anna Katharina Emmerick a special friend of
God. In the words of Hans Urs von Balthasar we can say, “She brought her
friendship with God to bear in solidarity with human beings.”

To bring friendship with God to bear in solidarity with human beings - does this
not shed light on an important concern in the life of the church today? The
Christian faith no longer includes everyone. In our world the Christian
community represents people before God. We must bring our friendship with God to
bear, let it be the decisive factor in solidarity with human beings.

Anna Katharina Emmerick is united to us in the community of believers. This
community does not come to an end with death. We believe in the lasting
communion with all whom God has led to perfection. We are united with them
beyond death and they participate in our lives. We can invoke them and ask for
their intercession. We ask Anna Katharina Emmerick, the newly named Blessed, to
bring her friendship with God to bear in solidarity with us and with all human
beings.